Virginia State University Lawyers

Van’s practice is dedicated to criminal traffic defense. He has been an outspoken critic of Reckless Driving by Speed laws as applied in Virginia, and he stridently opposes the imposition of any “mandatory minimum” prison time for alcohol-related and other substance offenses. With his experience as a JAG officer, professor of law at VMI, and federal prosecutor who has tried numerous speeding and DUI cases, Van Hardenbergh brings a sharp set of skills and a history of tenacious defense to the table.

Chris Jones is a personal injury lawyer and managing attorney in the Petersburg, VA office of Allen & Allen. He has over ten years of litigation experience and has tried thousands of jury and bench trials. He became an attorney to stand up for victims who were injured or killed through senseless acts. Knowing his clients may be going through the most difficult time in their lives inspires Chris to be a zealous advocate for them. Chris’s practice is focused exclusively on personal injury cases, including car and motorcycle accidents. Competitive by nature, Chris thrives in negotiations. This aids...

Michael W. Lee is a 1988 graduate of the Virginia Military Institute. He obtained his law degree in 1996 from the University of Richmond, T.C. Williams School of Law and holds a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the College of William & Mary. Prior to attending law school, he served as a police officer in Colonial Heights and worked for the Virginia State Corporation Commission. He has been an attorney for almost 20 years and is admitted to practice law in both Virginia and Colorado. He previously served as the elected Commonwealth’s Attorney forthe City of Colonial Heights, is...

Andrea received her law degree from the University of Richmond School of Law, where she served on the Moot Court Board and Client Counseling and Negotiation Board and represented the University of Richmond at various competitions. Prior to joining Marks & Harrison, Andrea most recently served as Staff Counsel for GEICO defending personal injury cases. Outside of work, Andrea enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, writing, running, playing and watching sports, and exploring Virginia.

I have practiced law for 42 yrs. I am now partially retired and limit my practice to wills and trusts, elder law matters, estates, guardianships and conservatorships. Before entering law practice, I served as a Police Officer, Police Chief, Director of Criminal Justice Planning and as an adjunct college instructor, teaching classes in law, police science and criminology. I have been married to my high school sweetheart for 52 years and we have four children, Cecilie, Jocelyn, Andrew & Fredericka. My daughter, Cecilie Hamilton, has practiced law for 21 years and is located next door to my office in Colonial...

Kevin M. McGowan has been in practice since 1978. He received his J.D. in 1978 from the University of Virginia School of Law after graduating from Belmont Abbey College in 1975 (Magna Cum Laude). He is currently an Associate with Marks & Harrison, one of the largest personal injury firms in Virginia. He concentrates on workers’ compensation and personal injury.

J.J. is a personal injury attorney with Allen & Allen currently representing clients in the Petersburg area. With a diverse background in insurance defense and commercial litigation, J.J. has tried over 100 cases and has experience in courts throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, as well as the Federal Court system. His practice is now devoted to protecting the interests of seriously injured individuals and their families in all varieties of personal injury cases including automobile accidents. Prior to joining Allen & Allen, J.J. spent years representing defendants and insurance companies, giving him valuable insight into how insurance companies value and handle...

C. James Williams, III is an attorney who represents clients in the Midlothian, Richmond, and Tri-Cities.

C. James Williams, III chose to pursue a career in law after completing undergraduate studies. He attended George Mason University School of Law and graduated in 1987. C James Williams, III passed the bar exam and was admitted to legal practice in 1987.

He represents clients with Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff issues in Virginia. He also represents clients with Workers' Compensation: Claimant, Professional Liability: Plaintiff and Civil Litigation: Plaintiff issues.

We serve the whole of Virginia and have office locations in Richmond, Midlothian, and Hopewell.

Areas of Practice:
Business and Consumer Bankruptcy, Business Planning, Commercial Litigation, and Creditors’ Rights.

Education:
J.D., Washington & Lee University School of Law, 2005
B.A., University of Michigan, Honors College, Double Major in Political Science and History, 1999

Honors:
Selected by Super Lawyers in 2012 – 2016 as a Virginia Rising Star in the Practice Area of Bankruptcy
Rated 10 out of 10 by Avvo.com, 2015 – 2018 Avvo Clients’ Choice Award

Professional Affiliations:
Virginia State Bar
District of Columbia Bar
Board of Governors, Virginia State Bar General Practice Section (2013 – Present) (Chair 2018 – Present)
Richmond Bar Association, Bankruptcy Section
American Bankruptcy Institute
Virginia State Bar Young Lawyers Conference, Chair First Day...

I joined Barnes & Diehl, PC in 2004 where I have focused on family law matters. I have worked as a forensic and clinical psychologist for the Central Intelligence Agency, the Federal Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina, and Central State Hospital’s Maximum Security Forensic Unit. I use my psychology training daily for the benefit of my clients. Understanding what influences and motivates people is important in both negotiating and litigating to get the best outcome for my clients. I handle a variety of cases including child custody, child and spousal support, complex equitable...

Traffic Attorney. I have practiced law in the area for over 32 years. If you retain me, in many cases you will never have to appear in court for your traffic violations. I am a former special prosecutor. Contact me today at 804-541-4145 or email to bradpbutterworth@gmail.com.

Mitchell M. Wells is admitted to practice law in all state and federal courts in Virginia, concentrates his practice in the areas of criminal law, DUI and reckless driving traffic violations, and has defended thousands of cases. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Wells served as an Assistant Attorney General in the Health Care Fraud section of the Office of the Attorney General for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Mr. Wells was responsible for supervising various fraud investigations and litigating Virginia false claim actions in federal court pursuant to the Federal False Claims Act and the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers...

Steve Keefe is a patent attorney having significant experience in patent prosecution and intellectual property counseling matters. He has worked extensively on both U.S. and international IP matters. Steve is also a licensed Professional Engineer and U.S. military veteran.

He entered the intellectual property law field in 2006 as a Patent Examiner with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Steve then joined a large, leading IP law firm as a patent agent and then as an attorney. He has well over a decade of combined law firm and in-house IP counsel experience.

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Armed with a passion for trial work, Paul joined Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen in 1999 bringing with him a broad range of experience in personal injury cases and jury trials. Since that time, Paul has obtained impressive trial results and is willing to go to trial rather than take an offer he does not believe is fair to his client. In 2014, Paul obtained a $22 million settlement on behalf of a boy who suffered paralysis and brain injuries in a crash with a dump truck. This record setting settlement appears to be the largest personal injury settlement...

Mr. Maslyn has extensive experience working with all of the laws and regulations affecting franchising in the United States. He has helped countless start-up franchisors and several Fortune 20 companies structure their franchise systems and manage their franchisee networks. In many cases, Mr. Maslyn has effectively served as his franchisor clients' outside general counsel, providing advice and counseling in areas like antitrust, intellectual property, sourcing and advertising issues in addition to drafting Franchise Agreements, Development Agreements, and Franchise Disclsoure Documents, filing state franchise registration and exemption applications, and providing counseling on compliance with complicated patchwork of state franchise...

Prior to practicing law, I spent a considerable amount of time oversea in my former career as a CIA Operations Officer. After law school I practiced bankruptcy law in the Central District of California, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside Divisions. In 2003, I returned to my native state of Virginia and established the Merna Law Group. Since the founding of the firm we have won over 35 awards for customer service, good work, and other accolades. Over my more than 25 years of bankruptcy practice, myself and my attorneys have filed over 10,000 successful cases. PHONE CONSULT AVAILABLE. We...

Mr. "Sris," CEO of the Law Offices of Sris, P.C., established his firm in 1997, now with locations in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Colombia, and India. Based in Fairfax, Virginia, he holds law licenses across multiple states. With a background as a prosecutor, Mr. Sris brings strong negotiation and litigation skills to his practice, focusing on complex family law cases and defense against serious criminal charges. He holds IT certifications and boasts international business knowledge, enhancing his legal knowledge. Committed to justice, Mr. Sris actively engages in legislative initiatives and community outreach, offering consultations to Indian nationals in need. With...

Tara was born and raised in northern New Jersey where she worked full time to put herself through college and law school part time. She graduated from Rutgers School of Law in New Jersey with an academic award. While attending Rutgers Law School Tara served as facilitator of study groups in the minority student program, teaching assistant, and Editor of the Women’s Rights Law Reporter. Tara is committed to protecting what matters most. Tara has been practicing family law, trust and estates, for six years. Her 18 years of negotiation experience, and ability to evaluate...

Stephen has been licensed to practice law in the Commonwealth of Virginia since 2010. In 2011, after completing his law degree and passing the bar, Stephen founded Quest Law PLLC, a solo practice, in Richmond, Virginia. Since then, he has been practicing as a litigator in Chesterfield, Henrico, and Richmond City courts. He represents clients who have been charged with a variety of criminal offenses and also handles family legal matters that require litigation. Contact Quest Law PLLC in Midlothian to schedule a meeting with Stephen.

As a former public defender and former prosecutor, I have focused on criminal law for the majority of my career. My background also brings a unique perspective to the table. I also have a good rapport with teenagers and young people after working as a juvenile prosecutor for more than two years.

W. Edward Riley, IV is a trial lawyer. He is admitted to practice law in all state and federal courts in Virginia, and has argued before the Supreme Court of Virginia and the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Mr. Riley has dedicated his entire career to successfully practicing criminal and traffic defense.

Mr. Riley has tried over 250 jury trials in federal and state courts across the Commonwealth, holds the highest national legal rating with Martindale Hubbell, and has been recognized by his peers as one of the Legal Elite as published by Virginia Business Magazine, and has...

Friedman Law Firm, P.C., specializes in divorce and family law issues. We represent clients across Virginia in the following: Divorce, Custody, Visitation, Child Support, Distribution of Assets and Debts, Spousal Support, Criminal Defense, and Will and Trusts. Call (804) 717-1969 to speak with an attorney today.

West graduated from Randolph-Macon College and received his J.D. from the University of Richmond School of Law. He joined Marks & Harrison in 2018 and he currently works in the Chesterfield Office.

R. Glen Morgan Attorney, PLC is a Chesterfield law firm specializing in Divorce, Custody and Visitation, Estate Planning, Real Estate, Criminal, and Business law.

Glen is a lifelong resident of Chesterfield County. He has practiced law in the Commonwealth of Virginia since he graduated from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond in 1983. Glen graduated from Randolph Macon College in 1974 with Honors and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa.

Prior to attending law school, Glen was a high school teacher and coach in Chesterfield County from 1975 to 1980....

Paul spends his time preparing estate planning documents and helping his clients probate estates. He specializes in accommodating clients' busy schedules in working on their cases, with evening and weekend appointments available.

Ryan T. Walker joined Marks & Harrison in 2014 after having most recently worked for GEICO on the defense side of personal injury cases. Since he was admitted to the Virginia State Bar in 2007, Ryan has practiced exclusively in the area of civil litigation, with an emphasis on personal injury law. He has vast experience in automobile accident litigation.

Attorney Scott Maxwell is an experienced attorney licensed to practice in Virginia, California, New York, and Connecticut (ret.). Attorney Maxwell's practice is focused on estate planning, probate administration, trust administration, residential real estate, and healthcare law.

Core Values
Compassionate representation of clients
Personalized attention
Prompt, open, and honest communication
Financially efficient representation
Meticulous attention to detail
Superb legal research

Admissions
Virginia
New York
California
Connecticut (retired)
Various Federal Courts

Education
St. John’s University School of Law, Queens, New York, Juris Doctor
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, B.A., Philosophy

Areas of Practice
Estate Planning (Forming Wills, Trusts, Powers of Attorney, etc.)
Probate Administration
Trust Administration
Residential Real Estate
Healthcare Law

Awards and Honors
New York State Bar Association Professor William R. Ginsberg Memorial Essay...

J. Bradley Winder, Jr. is a native Virginian who attended James Madison University, graduating with a B.A. in English, and a graduate of The University of Richmond T.C. Williams School of Law. Bradley is licensed in both Virginia and Washington, DC, is a member of the United States Federal Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and the United States Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Bradley began practicing law as a consumer rights advocate and has since maintained a client and consumer advocate approach to his legal practice. Bradley can assist you in the areas of civil litigation, lemon law, criminal...

Irvine Reaves joined Allen & Allen in 2020 and is based out of the firm’s Chesterfield office. Throughout his career, Irvine has handled a range of cases, from high-stakes capital and first-degree murder cases, to criminal misdemeanor and felony matters. Most recently, Irvine worked as a trial attorney at a Fortune 500 insurance company, which provided a unique perspective on how insurance companies handle personal injury claims. It was this experience that motivated Irvine to join Allen & Allen to fight on behalf of the injured. A fearless advocate who is skilled at articulating his clients’ experiences, Irvine is known for...

STEPHEN V. SOMMERS (licensed in Virginia 1999, Texas (1997), Maryland (1996)), was born at Camp Pendleton, CA, October 4, 1956 and educated at Troy State University (B.S., Summa Cum Laude, 1981), Golden Gate University (M.A., 1986) and American University (Juris Doctor, 1995). Mr. Sommers retired from the United States Air Force at the rank of Major after 22 years flying fighter aircraft. Mr. Sommers has been admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Fourth Circuit and the Tenth Circuit and all Virginia Courts. He is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, the...